Bill Abright - Ceramics

I've always been attracted to masks. I concentrate on the face because it is the most memorable and expressive part of a person's identity. The human condition is at the heart of my imagery, and these characters develop personalities through my dialog with the clay. The larger than life scale of my work is intended to confront the viewer as well as challenge my ability to create forms. I have an interest in tool making and engineering so figuring out how to make something big is part of the challenge. I also enjoy the physical challenge of large work. The weight of a big slab of clay, the Earth made into a sheet, like a layer a flat skin that I will transform into a face by stretching it’s thickness to the limit. Testing how far I can expand the skin is part of the pleasure. Breaking through that skin and adapting by patching or adding on as needed keeps it interesting. After they have been bisque fired I use acrylic paint and graphite pencils to develop the color and expand the content of the mask.